Walking for others

Eeee when I were young and institutionalized, I participated in King's Walk Cancerbury. Several hundred lads between 13 and 18 walked 20 miles to raise money for "cancer". It was definitely not my idea and my activity drumming up sponsors was desultory but that community raised a chunk of money from their network. Because expensive education, some rich uncles and doting grandparents were doubtless shaken down for ££££s - not mine. This kind of charity-blagging has gotten a lot more common and I'm not particularly keen on the concept. 

We had our second family film night in Tramore at the end of last month [the first]. Only one film The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry but a hella spread of sushi from Daoti. Pilgrimage was the choice of Dau.II who had seen the trailer and concluded: it's about a scruffy old chap who goes on a long walk . . . that's my Dad. It wasn't until minutes before we tuned in that one of the party noted cw: suicide and we realized that the movie might not be a rom-com. Like Harold Fry we soldiered on regardless. 

This film is a parable for our times. There's a lot more excuse for existential dread than anyone had back in 1970 when I walked for cancer larked about and got blisters on summer bye-ways in Kent. Nina Singh playing the Girl with Blue Hair [R] tells Harold Fry that she saved her aunt from dying by giving good vibes. This gives Mr Fry the oomph to pay his respects to an old pal who is dying at the other end of England. Berwick-on-Tweed is only 8 hours away by the M5 - M42 - A1 but because impulse he elects to walk - setting out forthwith without going home to pick up his toothbrush or say goodbye to his wife.

He becomes a transitory tabloid celebrity, attracting a circus of 'lost' people who decide to travel with him in "I have his sandal" way. Eventually he shakes this ragamuffin band loose to continue his own introspective journey: meditating on the mistakes he made with his own life - especially as it involved his family. Processing grief is hard and requires compassion from those who are most damaged and least able to give. Lots to unpack, and your journey likely won't be neatly sorted by having looked at Harold Fry walking for a couple of hours.

Author Rachel Joyce BBC podcasts [27m] about the book.